sail-world.com -- America's Cup: On the Hauraki Gulf for ETNZ's new AC72 - More images

America's Cup: On the Hauraki Gulf for ETNZ's new AC72 - More images

Tue, 12 Feb 2013

Sail-World' s Richard Gladwell was on the water today for the first sail of Emirates Team NZ's second generation AC72, launched on February 4, 2013.

Here's the second gallery of images of the 72ft catamran sailing for the frist time in a light seabreeeze of less than 8kts.

Features in these images imclude the non-appearance of the centre pod around the main load strut, designed to put an endplate on the wingsail and tidy up airflow beneath the platform.

The massive 'tail' on the daggerboard is clearly visible.

Bows look narrower than in the first AC72 - reducing drag, but also meaning that the team is more confident of the foils doing the work in a bearway or pressured downwind situation to avaoid a pitchpole.

The camber being induced into the wingsail, to generate power in the light winds, is apparent in some shots.